Tobias No Hits TSU in 20-0 Rout

Jodi Norton had a grand slam and five RBI in BYU's lopsided 20-0 victory over Texas Southern. (Photo by Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo)

COLLEGE STATION -- It was raining runs as BYU swept its final two games in the Texas A&M Invitational, beating Texas Southern, 20-0 and College of Charleston, 5-4.

The Cougars' (14-5) 20-run victory is the most lopsided win in school history. The 20 runs also ranks second in school history in runs in a single game. The two wins also gives BYU its longest winning streak of the season at four games.

With the wins, BYU was named champions of the Texas A&M Invitational. The Cougars' head coach Gordon Eakin is pleased with the outcome of the tournament.

"Our bats obviously came alive this weekend," he said. "After a big win against Texas Southern, we showed a lot of heart to come back and beat College of Charleston."

Summer Tobias pitched a no-hitter in the five-inning victory against Texas Southern and recorded the last two outs of the seventh inning to get the save against College of Charleston.

It didn't take BYU long to get a big lead as the Cougars scored nine in the first and eight in the second to take a quick 17-0 lead.

Ashlyn Russell started the scoring parade in the first when she nailed a two-run single with the bases loaded. BYU was ahead 3-0 with the bases loaded before an out was recorded in the first inning. The Cougars sent 14 batters to the plate in the inning.

In the second inning, Jodi Norton shined for BYU. Norton led the inning off with a single and came to bat as 10th batter of the inning with the bases loaded. Norton promptly unloaded the bases with one swing of the bat as she hit her fourth home run of the season. Norton's grand slam was the first on the season for BYU.

The Cougars coasted through the rest of the game with the only remaining drama being watching Tobias pitch the no-hitter. She came within one walk of a perfect game.

Game two saw much more drama than game one with BYU having to come from behind to get the win. The Cougars started the second of the twinbill much like it played the first by jumping to an early 2-0 lead. BYU scored on RBI singles by Paige Paramore and Ianeta Le`i.

College of Charleston battled back, scoring four consecutive runs over the middle innings. Charleston capitalized on five BYU errors helping it take the 4-2 lead. Only one of Charleston's four runs were earned.

Down 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Cougars began to mount their comeback. Two consecutive singles and a walk brought Paramore to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs. Paramore smacked an opposite-field, two-run double to tie the game for the Cougars. Charleston was able to get out of the jam as BYU couldn't retake the lead.

The next inning saw the Cougars get the lead when Andrea Ramirez led the inning off with a double. Three batters later, Russell came up with a huge RBI single that proved to be the game winner.

BYU will take its four-game winning streak to the Stanford Classic starting Thursday.